Holi Boli

Values

Our Story

Holi Boli is an ethical women’s clothing brand and manufacturer based in rural India. Founded and managed by Kiwi couple Ana and Daniel Wilkinson-Gee, this social enterprise business exists to fulfil the need of uplifting women in hard-to-reach places.

The Holi Boli Sewing House provides a safe place for women to come and develop their sense of self worth and identity, through sewing training and fair employment.

Becoming the main breadwinners for their households has been a game-changer for these women, whose mantra has become: “We are strong women who lift others up.”

Holi Boli’s clothing line shows how the fashion industry can make the world a better place. Their brand courageously fights poverty and brings empowerment to women who are stuck in an aggressively paternal society.

All of Holi Boli’s garments are made at their sewing production house in Bhalupali village, India, where the company’s Kiwi founders live and work alongside the local seamstresses.

Before Holi Boli opened in 2010, many of these women spent their days doing harsh physical labour for minimal pay. Now some are the most highly paid women in the village and the main breadwinners for their families.

The Holi Boli seamstresses meet every morning to discuss their values and consciously foster a culture of kindness, integrity and quality. Their goal is not just to make beautiful garments for their customers but to bring life through sustainability and relationships.

“The seamstresses at Holi Boli say they get a sense of belonging at our sewing house. They feel free to laugh, relax and know it is a safe place to be a woman.”

The Holi Boli team is always eager to expand. They offer a sewing course to local women where they teach the basics of pattern making, fabric cutting and garment construction.

At the end of the four-month course, the women leave with a certificate in hand and head held high as they walk into a new future.

Holi Boli’s clothing collections are characterised by classic, feminine designs that celebrate being a woman. Each of their garments is made from natural, plant-based fabrics and sewed to the highest standard of tailoring.

Their high-quality textiles are locally sourced from fair trade suppliers, which ensures that the fabrics they use have been produced to minimise environmental impact and treat workers with respect.

Holi Boli is also conscious to reduce their electricity usage, so they sew on a mix of non-electric treadle sewing machines, restored vintage domestic machines and some Juki industrial machines. 

Most of their production is done artisan style with paper patterns and fabric cut by hand. Their fabric scraps are used in their community sewing classes and also taken home by the ladies to use as stuffing for cushions and pillows.

Sales for Holi Boli’s ethically-made clothing translates directly into life-changing opportunities for women in rural India.

“We want to increase and expand our reach to be able to empower more village women into safe and dignified employment.”

A NEW COLLECTION IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19

When big brands were cancelling their orders with their manufacturers, Holi Boli and their social enterprise partners and retailers remained committed and loyal to their ethos of empowering women in hard-to-reach places.

They continued to pay their seamstresses in India when their sewing house there was closed due to Covid-19. Their stock in India was also in lockdown, so they created and manufactured a new range of dresses from locally-sourced, “rescued“ fabrics in New Zealand. This range continues to provide wages and relief for our ladies in India during this crazy global time. Watch this video to learn more!

“We are strong women who lift others up, together a global sisterhood bringing love, collaboration and delicious linen and cotton dresses to the fashion world.”